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As you know, today the world celebrates Earth Hour where the whole world would turn off their lights (and everything power consuming) to save the Earth. Every year Dunedin would hold this event at the Octagon and this year is no different. Hafiz invited all of us to have a picnic under the stars and I have to say, it was nothing but amazing. The mood was great and honestly, nothing beats being under the stars with food and great company.

I even made new friends!

Just for your information, the Octagon is pretty much Dunedin's city square. Instead of being square, it's an octagon! It's where all the landmarks are and where all formal events are held at.

The City Hall at night

Entertainment for the night. While all the lights are off, the band crooned some old and new songs. Mostly old. And notice there's a guy cycling next to the stage. He's cycling to generate electricity for the band. Pretty cool!

I thought it was going to be the five of us but more of our friends showed up! So we had this big picnic under the stars! :D

Mark

Alia and Jane

I was taking this self-shot when I accidentally captured Danny as well! Pretty sure he was in the middle of cracking a joke!

Some of the food tonight. That's the tuna pasta I cooked in the tupperware.

Hafiz, who baked a delicious chocolate cake.

One of the roads leading out of the Octagon

The band played some old classics and we pretty much had the place to ourselves since we were the only group who decided to have this picnic so...why not use the space to dance. Some of my friends who decided to dance.

Zariq and his sister, Syahira.

Jeff, Alia and Me

Some people watching the band

Shenanigans while walking home!

T'was a good night. Tomorrow I have to get up early because I sort of got dragged into (again) playing congkak for the Malaysian Traditional Games Exhibition. Maybe I'll snap up more pictures if I get the chance!

The first time I heard of Lex's Coffee, Adeline (a coffee addict) described it as the best coffee in Dunedin. Now at the time I only drink coffee socially so you have to understand I don't have that much experience. I dabbled at other coffee joints and they were alright. I don't remember my first time trying Lex's Coffee but I knew it was amazing. It's what kept me getting more and more of this deliciously made coffee. Lex's Coffee has a ZINGGG to it. Yeah, that's the best I could do to describe its perfection. Normal coffee doesn't usually affect me, meaning it doesn't prevent me from sleeping nor has it kept me up in class. But this perfection has the perfect blend of tastiness and a kick of caffeine.

I love Lex's Coffee so much that I asked Lex himself whether he'd be interested to sit for an interview for my blog. And he said yes!

For most Otago students, you would know that Lex can usually be found at Union lounge but due to the renovation that's been going on right now, he has moved to the indoor pathway next to Central Library. Lex has confirmed that this move is permanent.

The Interview

Yang: Let’s start the
interview. So, how long have you’ve been making coffee?

Lex: 18 years.

Yang: Wow that’s a long
time. How did you start? What made you get into the coffee business?

Lex: Basically I wanted
my own business and it’s quite simple to get into. And I’ve kept it pretty
simple.

Yang: Did you have an interest in coffee when you were young?

Lex: Not really. I do
enjoy drinking it but no. I just did it just to own my own business. I mean you
don’t have to think too hard or work too hard.

Yang: Then where did you
learn how to make coffee?

Lex: Up in Auckland.

Yang: Is there a name of a cafe or...

Lex: No. It wasn’t a cafe. There’s this guy...Um, Allpress.

Yang: Oh Allpress (one of the coffee brands in NZ). Is it like
a training thing?

Lex: Well he was roasting it back then and he taught me. This
was when I was much smaller. It was 18 years ago.

Yang: Wait, so how long have you been making coffee at Otago
Uni?

Lex: 18 years. I just
came up to learn back then and straight come back here.

(INSERT AN OFF-TOPIC CONVERSATION HERE)

Yang: In your opinion, what does it take to make a great cup of
coffee?

Lex: Just follow the steps.

Yang: I mean some baristas believe in the amount of milk you
put in or the beans—

Lex: Well yeah but I guess it’s all about the timing. You
gotta do it right, follow the steps and mind your timing.

Yang: Why do you choose Allpress?

Lex: It is the superior blend. It is consistent and it’s good.

Yang: Now the last question. Out of all the coffee in the
world, what’s your favourite?

Lex: Just a flat white.

Yang: Why? Why not a macchiato or...?

Lex: Nah...just a flat white with a little bit of milk.

Yang: Kinda describes you maybe? A simple guy?

Lex: Yeah. I’m simple.

Lex has helped Otago students get their caffeine fix for 18 years

After interviewing Lex, I leave with my usual order and enjoy one of life's little blessings.

I just finished watching Avatar: The Last Airbender series and IT.WAS.AMAZING! Oh my goodness, I can't believe a Nickelodeon show could be this...epic. True enough I cried, laughed and got angry while watching the series! It has everything for everyone which is amazing! At first the show started off very kiddy for me but I stuck through. That's because I started to realize such important themes such as world peace, politics, media and "racism" are very much prevalent in the show. Obviously it is delivered in its simplest forms...perfect for children. Despite the initial kiddiness I felt in the beginning, the series progressed into something quite mature. I guess to show how the characters mature as their journey went on.

I never knew I could connect with the characters so much.

ZUKO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! *fangirl scream*

Ahem.

I was like literally pulling my hair out of sheer excitement+frustration+sadness when the series ended. Thank God because the series' sequel, Legend of Korra is out. In fact the second episode is out today!!! (Just watched it and it was AWESUMMMM!) Man watching the new series is really bittersweet for me because the old cast are all dead except Katara because it is set 70 years after the first series. It's really fun to see how the old cast's offpsrings turn out. Like how Aang and Katara got married and they have three children. And turns out that their granddaughter is now the Avatar.

Check out the awesome trailer for the new series. I love how it's so badass now. This time you can really feel the series has taken quite a serious tone as the new cast are all teenagers and much older compared to Aang and his friends. I love how Korra is so badass. So unlike Aang and yet very much like him. :D

Korra

Spoiler Alert: I feel like Mako could be related to Zuko. I mean it's so obvious. Not just the name but even their face! And he's a firebender.

Mako

To top off this geek out session, check out Legend of Korra's trailer.

The review for this book is long overdue. Before I start I just have to share the story on the lengths I go through to get this book. When it first came out I was still in Malaysia for the holidays. The hype was too much and being a diehard Nerdfighter, I wanted to be a part of it too. But I have a confession...I could possibly be the only Nerdfighter who didn't read any of John's books before. I've seen Looking for Alaska loads of times and I've gone over his An Abundance of Katherines halfway through to only get distracted with another book.

So yeah back to my mission to get TFiOS. First off I didn't place a pre-order on this book because...well I thought it's going to be easy to find it in Malaysia. Boy, was I wrong! I looked EVERYWHERE to the point I even dropped an email complaining to John Green that it was very hard for me to find his book. Right after the email was sent, I received a tip from a friend who said that KLCC's Kinokuniya stocks TFiOS. To make story short, I dragged my soul sistas (Shira, Shaza and Sara) to KL. We braved through the traffic jams and finally made it to KLCC. The whole reason why I wanted the book FAST was because I wanted John Green's signature. It took me awhile to choose which copy because I heard that certain copies are unsigned. To make matters sadder...mine's unsigned.

I was devastated.

Anyways, on to the review!

WARNING: Potentially contains spoilers!

Sypnopsis:

(Taken from Goodreads.com)

Diagnosed with Stage IV thyroid cancer at 12, Hazel was prepared to die until, at 14, a medical miracle shrunk the tumours in her lungs... for now.

Two years post-miracle, sixteen-year-old Hazel is post-everything else, too; post-high school, post-friends and post-normalcy. And even though she could live for a long time (whatever that means), Hazel lives tethered to an oxygen tank, the tumours tenuously kept at bay with a constant chemical assault.

Enter Augustus Waters. A match made at cancer kid support group, Augustus is gorgeous, in remission, and shockingly to her, interested in Hazel. Being with Augustus is both an unexpected destination and a long-needed journey, pushing Hazel to re-examine how sickness and health, life and death, will define her and the legacy that everyone leaves behind.

Thoughts:

It's been awhile since I read this kind of book from YA. Nothing supernatural or otherworldly about TFiOS because then again, this is John Green. His YA books are generally focused on the realities of teenhood and the dilemmas and troubles they face. For once the world is not ending and the only concern is how to talk to your crush. But then again, TFiOS is not about that as you can tell. It deals with dying and death. To put it more accurately, how do teens normally deal with dying.

I think at a point John (yes, we're on first names basis now. Because I watch his videos... :P) reassured all of Nerdfighteria that despite the issue it discusses, TFiOS is not a depressing book. I had my qualms at first because it is about cancer but I have to agree.

At a point people kept saying that it's a really funny read. Well...I don't know about that. I grinned here and there but it wasn't THAT funny as people put it. It's quite dry humour in my opinion.

Another review that people on the Internet kept on going about TFiOS is that you will definitely LAUGH AND CRY AND WANT TO RELIVE IT ALL OVER AGAIN with this book. Firstly, I think I cried more than I laughed. Hell I cried over something that's not even sad like what happened on page 14! I think it was the part where Hazel's mom dropped her off for her support group session. Crap...now I feel sad as I'm writing this because I kept on thinking what would happen at the end...Ahem. Second, would I want to relive the book all over again? No. Not immediately. Give me like three years or so, I would probably pick it up again.

For me the first paragraph into the book hooked me in because a sense of familiarity washed over me. (Excuse the sappy description.) That's because it really felt like John's voice reading it to me and the way it was written is very John-like. At first this is very comforting and enjoyable but as I progressed I realized one thing. John's voice is too strong which makes it really hard for me to connect with the book. Especially in connecting with Hazel. Although I have to admit that I tried to distance myself from the characters because hey(!) I'm already crying by page 14. So I grew some beard and MAN UP and finished the book! But in order to do so, John's voice really helped me to disconnect from the characters.

What I'm really trying to say is that this is a bad thing.

It really shifts the whole tone of the book for me. John's presence is too strong and that isn't supposed to happen. So instead of seeing Hazel, I only see more of John Green. I know I'm making it sound really bad right now but honestly, it's not really a big deal. Yes, I'm starting to question John's credibility at characterizing but it's still bearable you know?

TFiOS contains a lot of witty jokes that would work well with the witty mind but to be honest, I don't really pay attention to them. I read TFiOS in one sitting throughout my flight back to New Zealand and I just want to know the plot. I only read it face value so I know I'm missing a lot. John was very clear in his vlogs that the book contains many intelligent stuff like Plato's philosophy and Norwegian culture. So I get it why people would want to reread the book.

MAJOR SPOILER ALERT!

My favourite scene out of the whole book would be when Augustus has his pre-funeral party. It was really sad and funny. But mostly funny. I find it such an interesting thing to do. When you know you're going to die and given the customs that we have, you can never have a say on how your funeral should be like. Because you are...dead after all.

Verdict: 3 out of 5

I'm being real here. Despite being a Nerdfighter, TFiOS is not exactly a mindblowing read for me. It's not PERFECT. It's not the best book I've ever read in my life. But I like it.

I've become a hermit this past week because I'm seriously addicted to Avatar: The Last Airbender series. I never really got into it until Tim and Nings convinced me to watch it. I agreed solely because the sequel, Legend of Korra looked really cool. OMG NOW I'M OBSESSED!

I went to Wellington last weekend to visit my favourite Apek (Tim) and Amoi (Jie Ning). It was my first time there and we totally did a Jalan-jalan Cari Makan. It was so good! I made a video montage of my whole trip there. Enjoy!

I wasn't kidding when I said I'm sick in the last post. I've been in bed for two days now and missed two days worth of class. It frustrates the hell out of me because now I have so much work piled up. I tried studying in bed but literature+flu+bed just don't mix. Oddly enough, Facebook and Youtube work for me. Haha.

I finally got my butt out of bed and went to see the doctor today. They say I've got the viral fever that's been going around. I asked for antibiotics and they said it's not going to help at this point. Then off I went back to bed with an appointment slip in hand. I have to go again tomorrow. Sigh.

I'm at this spot by the window for two straight days now. It sucks because the weather is freaking amazing outside. While other people are looking happy and all made up, I'm full of snot and sweaty and cold at the same time.

My living conditions:

I've stopped using tissues at this point. I just used towels that I have to um...excrete the snot/phlegm from my body. I rotate la and wash. I'm not that disgusting as Alia thinks. Sheesh. By the way, she was kind enough to accompany to see the doctor before her class. Thank you ah!

Wellington is truly the death of me. I haven't been this sick since...first year. I've edited the first half of my welly trip and the second part should be done by today. Being sick really does wonders to your video-editing motivation.

Just to make this post a little bit happier.

I've been listening to a lot of Yuna, 10cm and Leessang lately. The last two artists are Korean but they're not the Kpop nonsense la. Well...I'm into this Kpop nonsense too but K-indie is really something. Some of the songs I've been listening:

Ever since I first saw it on a rainy day; on my first day in Dunedin I knew it was love. It was really love at first sight for me. Scribes looked so magical back then...even now to be honest. If you're a book lover and ever find yourself in Dunedin, Scribes is a must stop. I love the smell of books, especially old books and as most of my friends complained, Scribes reeks of it. There's always a tingly feeling I get every time I find myself in Scribes. The possibility of finding a rare book or even a first edition of a particular work is very...exciting.

Over the years that I've been here, I've developed a close relationship with Scribes. This is where I buy my school books and find materials for my research papers.

From here on there will be a lot of pictures. I tried my best to capture the magic in Scribes. I kept telling the shopkeepers and my friends of how it reminded me of Ollivander's shop. It is simply magical. :D

First thing you will see the second you enter Scribes. Some people can get overwhelmed with the amount of books but I.JUST.GET.EXCITED!

Michael, one of Scribe's shopkeepers. I've developed quite an interesting friendship with him. He tells me stories about the shop and its customers. He knows all the books I have aka my small library in my room and gives me the best deals on books. He also has turned me into quite a book collector!! Try to drop by when he's around. He'll help you through and through.

A rare look of what goes on behind the shop. This is where they keep all the rare books that are just waiting to hit the front shelves.

Scribes's owner, Richard has a very interesting philosophy regarding his shop. How he manages Scribes shows pure commitment and love for books. I'm not going to tell you what his philosophy is...that's for you to find out if you ever come to visit Scribes. My only clue is that I can bet you that NO ONE in Malaysia will have this philosophy.